Beginnings are often scary, endings are often sad, but it's the middle that counts. You should remember that when you find yourself at the beginning.

All thought is a feat of association; having what's in front of you bring up something in your mind that you almost didn't know you knew.

Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key, With bated breath and whispering humbleness. -The Merchant of Venice. Act i. Sc. 3.

Man is only truly great when he acts from the passions.

Our children's children will hear a good story.

'Tis thus the mercury of man is fix'd, Strong grows the virtue with his nature mix'd.

It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.

Joy was characteristic of the Christian community so long as it was growing, expanding, and creating healthfully. The time came when the Church had ceased to grow, except externally in wealth, power, and prestige; and these are mere outward adornments, or hampering burdens, very likely. They do not imply growth or creativeness. The time came when dogmatism, tyranny, and ignorance strangled the free intellectual activity of the Church, and worldliness destroyed its moral fruitfulness. Then joy spread her wings and flew away. The Christian graces care nothing for names and labels; where the Spirit of the Lord is, there they abide, but not in great Churches that have forgotten Him. How little of joy there is in the character of the religious bigot or fanatic, or in the prudent ecclesiastical statesman! A show of cheerfulness they may cultivate, as they often do; but it is like the crackling of thorns under a pot: we cannot mistake it for the joy of the Lord which is the strength of the true Christian.

Government, in its very essence, is opposed to all increase in knowledge. Its tendency is always towards permanence and against change...he progress of humanity, far from being the result of government, has been made entirely without its aid and in the face if its constant and bitter opposition.

The same reason that makes us chide and brawl and fall out with any of our neighbors, causeth a war to follow between Princes.

never place anything bigger in your ear than your elbow.

Sometimes I worry about being a success in a mediocre world.

With books and money placed, for show Like nest eggs, to make clients lay, And for his false opinion pay.

Learning is not compulsory but neither is survival.

Nothing common can seem worthy of you.

Pray, n:. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.

Most people do not consider dawn to be an attractive experience - unless they are still up.

He who is ignorant of foreign languages, knows not his own.

That is suitable to a man, in point of ornamental expense, not which he can afford to have, but which he can afford to lose.

Fame is vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character.